Miniature Portrait Marquise De Montespan

Large oval miniature painted in watercolor and gouache depicting Madame de Montespan, favorite of King Louis Blonde ringlets frame the oval of her face with its fair complexion and fine features. Drop earrings and a white pearl choker necklace highlight her head posture. She is dressed in a silk dress dazzling with its dominant colors of blue, red-orange and yellow, and partly decorated with pretty patterns. Her deep neckline is covered with a bench bodice in fine, vaporous silk which can be found puffed up on her arm. She gives a discreet smile, lifts a section of her dress with one hand and carries a crosshair in the other. The Marquise has an attitude that is both dignified and reserved. This miniature is interesting for various reasons: Its large format, the marquise represented is the favorite of King Louis XlV, the colors used by the artist are bright and well preserved, the details are carefully described; we will particularly notice the way in which the hands are painted, highlighting their finesse in a graceful movement. This portrait is in a rectangular frame with gilded bronze scallops. Presence of a suspension ring. Good condition overall. Oval: 14.7 X 12.3cm Frame: 18.5 Passionate about the Arts and protected by the king, she occupied an apartment close to his own before being ousted in 1680 by Madame de Maintenon. She left Versailles definitively in 1691.